Author Archives: sosadmin

PARLIAMENT WILL BE VOTING ON GOVERNMENT PLAN TO BULLDOZE GREEN WEDGES FOR SUBURBAN SPRAWL – 27July

– please add your voices to green wedge, public lands and urban planning backlash groups to oppose this environmental catastrophe & please forward to your lists of interested citizens
 
Green Wedges Coalition
– a vision for Melbourne       
 
Dear Green Wedge supporters,  
 
Please will you help us to avert an environmental and community catastrophe that will ensue if the State Government is able to persuade Parliament to approve a planning scheme amendment to take 43,600 ha out of Melbourne’s green wedges and to surround the new urban growth zones with a freeway that will not be needed when we move to a carbon-constrained economy? 

 
Having failed to get the Parliament to pass the State Government’s Planning Scheme Amendment VC67 in June, Planning Minister Madden told a Housing Industry breakfast last week that he will split it in two in order to get it passed by the Legislative Council. Minister Madden predicted that: 
·       Coalition MPs will support the Urban Growth Boundary expansion and the new E6 freeway; &
·       Greens MPs will support increased urban density along tram and orbital bus routes.Announcing
 this to developers an not in a public statement shows who is in charge of State planning policy.
(The Greens have said they will vote against this Clause 12 amendment, which also includes clauses that weaken the UGB.)
 
The Government is planning to table these new and probably re-numbered amendments on Tuesday 27 July and to debate and pass them on Wednesday or Thursday.
 
Please email all State MPs and ask them to protect Melbourne’s green wedges by voting against these amendments. (see list of email addresses in the attachment below) If you have time, explain why in your own words. It would also be great to see you in the gallery of the Legislative Council to watch the debate. To find out about the timing, please ring the Legislative Council table office at 9651 8678.
 
To find out more, please read on, and/or google VC67, which should still be on the DPCD website. You are also welcome to email the Green Wedges Coalition coordinators, Rosemary West; rowest@ozemail.com.au;  Arnie Azaris, arnie.azaris@bigpond.com;
 
If ratified by Parliament these planning amendments could signify a catastrophe for Melbourne – our city will be changed irrevocably forever with green wedges replaced by suburban sprawl.
This State Government plan will unleash unprecedented environmental, agricultural and landscape destruction in the green wedges. It will expand the Urban Growth Boundary to take 43,600 ha out of the western, northern and Cranbourne south green wedges for housing development, freeways and freight terminals. 
 
The UGB expansion will clear for urban development: 5000 ha of environmentally significant Western Basalt Plains grasslands; the grassy woodlands of the Maribyrnong and Merri Creek catchments, with their giant red gums; and 4000 ha of the South East food-bowl, where highly productive market gardens using recycled water double as Southern Brown Bandicoot habitat. (Please see details below and attached.)
 
It will also destroy the certainty on which green wedge protection is based. The developers who will profit from speculative purchases of green wedge land to be rezoned by the renamed VC67 amendments will go looking for more spec purchases outside the next UGB.
 
The Coalition parties have said they will not oppose the UGB expansion, but that they would oppose the E6 freeway, which is close to the existing parallel Craigieburn Freeway and they will oppose amendments to Clause 12, which provides for increased urban density. We call on them to hold firm on these issues and in addition to move amendments to save at least some of the above-listed priority green wedge areas.
 
 Before the 2006 election, Liberal, ALP and Greens MPs surveyed by the Green Wedges Coalition all supported the current Government policy to protect green wedges "including the present boundaries."   Only the Greens have stood by their election policy and have consistently opposed the UGB expansion. We call on Coalition MPs to support the Greens motion to refer this matter to a committee to negotiate amendments to mitigate the damage.
 
The plans also run counter to a report released in May into sustainable agribusiness from a parliamentary committee representing all parties. The report describes the green wedges as area as "a diverse and dynamic farming region" which produces 16 per cent of the Victoria’s agricultural wealth from less than four per cent of the state’s farmland. It recommended "That Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary be stabilised to provide certainty to land-holders and agribusiness."  
 
The Government has claimed it needs the extra land to house our rapidly growing population, yet both PM Julia Gillard and Premier Brumby have acknowledged the need to re-think “Big Australia” policies. They should also re-think the need for these planning scheme amendments and for the green wedge destruction.
 

Rosemary West & Arnie Azaris

Green Wedges Coalition coordinators

VC67 will irrevocably change the face of Melbourne and axe Green Wedges

Protectors of Public Lands Victoria Inc. has joined with the Green Wedges Coalition Inc. and Planning Backlash to hold a protest SAY NO TO VC67 PLANNING AMENDMENT – STOP URBAN SPRAWL, GREEN WEDGES DESTRUCTION AND HIGH RISE ON TRAM/BUS ROUTES.
It is not exaggerating to say that, if ratified by Parliament, this amendment could signify a catastrophe for Melbourne – the face and fabric of our city will be changed irrevocably forever. We are, therefore, inviting member groups, friends and supporters to our protest

 
Time: 1 pm  (Rally to end around 2 pm when Parliament commences. )
Date: Tuesday 22 June 2010
Location: Steps of Parliament Spring Street
 

Speakers will include: Greens MLC Colleen Hartland; Legislative Council Coalition Leader, David Davis, and representatives of Protectors of Public Lands; the Coalition of Concerned Councillors; Taxed Out, Planning Backlash and Green Wedges Coalition.  

 

Rationale for Rally:
It is expected that, at this next sitting of Parliament commencing on 22 June 2010, Planning Minister Madden will be putting a resolution to the Upper House for ratification of VC 67 Planning Amendment. This is to approve extension of Melbourne’s urban growth boundary involving alienation of Green Wedges and will also increase density (Government lingo for high rise) of residential development, including along tram and bus routes.
 

The maps showing the new Urban Growth Boundary and affected shires were only made available by the Department of Sustainability at the request of MPs late on 9 June. See VC67 at link

 

 

COMMUNITY RALLY TO OPPOSE OVER-DEVELOPMENT IN SUBURBAN STREETS

 Saturday 5 June 2010 – 12 noon Queens Park, Mt Alexander Rd,Moonee Ponds
 
 
YOUR STREET COULD BE NEXT!
 
Moonee Valley suburban streets are being targeted by developers for this kind of 3 to 4 storey development.
 
The Moonee Valley Council is currently considering at least 30 applications like this for ordinary suburban streets. Instead of one household next door, you could soon have more than 27 people in up to 9 households next to you!
 

     
SAY NO!
  • Their height and bulk is visually unacceptable.
  • They overshadow neighbours and remove local yards and gardens.
  • They create extra traffic and cause problems with street parking.
 
Join other concerned residents to fight over-development in Moonee Valley.
 
SPEAKERS
·         Matthew Guy – Shadow Minister for Planning
·         Rose Iser – Greens Candidate for Essendon
·         Ian Wood – President, Save Our Suburbs SOS
 

When                    Saturday 5 June 2010 – 12 noon

Where                   Queens Park – Sound Shell (South side of Bowling Club)
                                    Mt Alexander Road Moonee Ponds (Mel Ref 28 J6)
 
Information         Mick Ryan 0408 534 651
Communities Opposed to Over Development

 

Madden reviews state planning rules – worse for the community

 

Along with the Planning Act Review and other recent changes to the planning regime (allegedly in the short-term economic interest), the draft changes to the state planning rules will weaken urban planning controls. This is despite the fact that current crises like peak oil and climate change demand MORE prescriptive regulation, not less, to actively focus development and new infrastructure on creating a more functional, sustainable city.

On 2nd February 2010, SOS lodged a critical submission with the Department of Planning on the Review of the State Planning Policy Framework.

To download the submission, click on the attachment below:

Draft Bill on changes to Planning Act – taking democratic control away from Councils and Residents

What’s missing is any future vision for the sustainable development of Melbourne. And in the words of the Municipal Association of Victoria, “the draft fails to acknowledge and strengthen local government’s roles in planning, creates risk and uncertainty for local government…”

SOS submission concludes that:-

The philosophical approach to this Draft has clearly been to “streamline” (deregulate) planning processes under the Act.

The timing of the review of the Act is unfortunate, coinciding as it does with the impact of severe bushfire and an economic recession. These appear to have influenced the focus of the review, while other more serious long-term crises such as climate change and peak oil have had less obvious influence. However, the new Act must be based on a sound ESD footing to be able to tackle the environmental challenges of the next few decades.

In a democracy (as opposed to an enlightened dictatorship) any area that is
underperforming needs tighter, more specific or more appropriate legislation, not a more hands-off approach. This has already been evident from the failure of the Melbourne 2030 policy to achieve its aim of focusing most new medium and higher density housing into activity centres, protecting most of the suburban hinterland and obviating the need for further suburban sprawl.

Industry and commerce will not produce the necessary vision and drive in the public interest when society is facing the need for urgent changes in land use patterns in order to respond to major challenges like climate change, peak oil, lack of affordable housing and inadequate well-integrated public transport.

In general, the Draft fails to identify or address any future sustainable vision for the state, yet proposes to undemocratically streamline or deregulate key authorization and approval processes. It also fails to address most of the existing loopholes and weaknesses in the Act, many of which we highlighted in our initial submission.

 

Click on the attachment to read the entire submission

 

Getting information about development applications from Council planning files

 "Improving Access to Council Planning File documents"

Cllick on this Planning Department Practice Note to see what planning application documents residents are entitled to see and get copies of (at cost).  Unfortunately some councils don't follow the Prac Note closely, but it does at least let you know what you're entitled to ask for.
If you have trouble getting copies of application documents and plans, or are being charged too much for them, let us know by phone or email – Click here to Contact SOS

Due to possible copyright issues with some documents incorporated in planning schemes (eg, reference documents like the ANZ Parking Standards), the Department of Planning and Community Development has temporarily withdrawn this Prac Note to make minor changes.
However, the Department says this won't effect access to the documents you'd normally need in a planning file. 

DPCD says that the Practice Note should be back on their website "later in 2012".

Got a planning problem? Use our SOS Residents Guide for Objectors

For basic inquiries, download our Objectors' Guide for help in objecting to development applications at the council level and at VCAT. It explains how to determine your grounds of objection, how to deal with councils, making an appeal to VCAT, etc.

SOS also provides brief general planning advice as a service to our members and the public, through our Contact page and our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section. 

We don't have the resources to provide free detailed professional advice (such as a full analysis of plans or planning policies related to an individual development application), but if you contact us we can probably refer you to a planning professional or local community group for help.

Click on "Links" to find general planning information, the Planning Department, the Planning Tribunal (VCAT), community planning groups, politicians and the media.

Finally – don't be surprised to find out that councils don't always assess permit applications properly, and that state planning controls are full of loopholes.  This is unfortunately why groups like SOS exist, as a necessary response in a democracy to the weakening and deregulation of town planning controls that are supposed to be there for the benefit of the wider community, not the short-term interests of developers and politicians.

For more on the failings of the discretionary planning regime in Victoria, see the Project Melbourne series of articles in the Age in early 2010, and the Auditor General's May 2008 report into Planning in Victoria (especially part 6: "78% of planning permit decisions are flawed").